The invention relates generally to pulley and belt systems, particularly such as systems used for transporting packages and other items for delivery and storage.
Pulley and belt systems are used extensively in the package delivery and storage industries. Pulley and belt systems are also used in manufacturing and goods delivery services. Maintaining these systems involves extensive work with regard to belt maintenance. The interface between the pulley lagging and the surface of the belt, which contacts the pulley lagging must particularly be maintained. The lagging element must be replaced from time to time, and the belt must also occasionally be replaced.
U.S. Pat. No. D280,772 discloses a replaceable pulley lagging pad. The pad is connected to the pulley with metal clips engaging side flanges which are connected to pulley lagging strips. Several strips are provided affixed to the pulley. Another prior art design from U.S. Pat. No. D381,174 uses pulley lagging blocks which are connected to the pulley. A similar design is presented in U.S. Pat. No. D381,175. U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,409 (Van Teslaar) discloses a replaceable pulley lagging for an initially smooth-faced, endless conveyor or elevator belt drive pulley. Rubber pads are secured to the face of the pulley in detachable fashion with set screws to permit removal and replacement of the pads when worn or damaged. Connectable and disconnectable pulley lagging elements, in the form of strips, is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,544. Replaceable pulley strips are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,190, 146, wherein a special pulley is provided (see also U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,704).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,014 (Gradoni et al.) shows lagged drive wheels for continuous conveyor belts that are lagged with a textile fabric of woven polyester yarn and a friction surface of polyester textile fibers needled to the base. In addition, the patent to Robie (U.S. Pat. No. 3,143,895) describes a device for transmitting motion using hook and pile fabrics on the surfaces of belts, pulleys and slabs. Other prior art references discloses enhanced friction surfaces for the pulley lagging belt interface. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,941,410 discloses a power transmission mechanism with special pile zones at the belt lagging interface. The a movable part interconnection system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,949 uses bristles to improve the frictional connection. SU163946 discloses a belt drive system with a hook and loop fastener interface for good connection between the belt and the pulley. DE 30 29 158 discloses pulley elements with connection elements connecting pulley lagging to the pulley.
It is an object of the invention to provide a pulley and pulley lagging which allows for a good connection between the pulley and pulley lagging and allows for a simple and efficient replacement of the lagging.
According to the invention, a pulley with pulley lagging, a pulley, pulley lagging and belt to system and method are provided based on a pulley element having an outer surface with a length and a circumference. A hook and loop fastener strip is provided having one of a loop or a hook surface section and a back surface. The hook and loop fastener strip has a first tapered end with a first cutline edge and a second tapered end with a second cutline edge. The hook and loop fastener strip back surface is bonded to the pulley element outer surface with the strip spiral wrapped with the first cutline edge having a length substantially equal to the circumference and positioned substantially at an edge of the pulley element and with the second cutline edge having a length substantially equal to the circumference and positioned substantially at another edge of said pulley element. A composite strip is provided including another hook and loop fastener strip having the other of a loop or a hook surface section and a back surface and a lagging strip with a belt engagement surface and a back surface. The another hook and loop fastener strip back is bonded to the lagging strip back. The composite strip has a first tapered end with a first cutline edge and a second tapered end with a second cutline edge. The composite strip with the other of a loop or a hook surface is connected to the loop or a hook surface section strip to provide a pulley and lagging assembly with the belt engagement surface facing outwardly.
According to another aspect of the invention, the system is provided including a hook fastener strip, a loop fastener strip and a lagging strip. Each of the strips is cut to have two tapered ends. Each tapered ends has an angled cutline edge which defines, with the side edge of the strip, a tapering length leading to a vanishing point tip. The hook strip is bonded to the lagging strip such that a hook face of the hook strip faces in one direction and the lagging friction surface (for belt engagement) faces in the opposite direction. Preferably, the hook strip is bonded to the lagging strip prior to cutting the tapered ends. The cutline edge of the tapered ends is based on the circumference of the pulley to be used. Based on the known circumference of the pulley the cutline edge has a length equal to the circumference. The cutline edge defines an angle of the tapered section (tapered end), namely the angle of the cutline edge relative to the side edge, based on a given strip width. Additionally, the distance between the two taper termination (the end of the tapered section) points of the tapered ends of each strip is a length substantially defined by the pulley length. The tapered ends are cut, spaced a distance, corresponding to the length of the particular pulley used. After the strips are cut, the hook section strip is bonded to the pulley. The bond is applied to the pulley or the back face of the loop strip and the loop strip wrapped starting from one of the vanishing point tips with the cutline edge wrapping substantially along one edge of the pulley. The remaining length of strip continues to be wrapped around the pulley until the opposite vanishing point tip is bonded to the pulley with the opposite cutline edge wrapping substantially along the opposite edge of the pulley. This provides a spiral wrap or barber pole wrap. This is preferably a permanent bonded wrap with a permanent cement bond between the steel, aluminum or plastic pulley and the side of the loop section strip which is opposite the loop section. Set screws or other fasteners may be used to fix the vanishing point tip to the pulley at each pulley edge. The composite strip, namely the hook section strip bonded to the lagging section strip, has substantially the identical shape to the shape of the loop section strip applied to the pulley. The hook section strip is connected to the loop section and the composite strip is wrapped around the pulley. The connection is made such that the center of the composite strip covers the adjoining edges of the loop section strip, providing a staggering and resulting structural benefits.
The cutline may be made with a process that includes providing a length or role of loop section strip, providing a length or role of composite strip, measuring the necessary lengths for the particular pulley and cutting the cutline, at the proper position and at the proper angle for the particular pulley. The process includes cutting the cutline for each of the loop section strip and the composite strip at a factory or packaging facility and providing precut lengths for predetermined pulley sizes. The strips are then sold in a basic kit including preferably screws for vanishing point tips and bonding cement for fixing the loop section strip to the pulley. Replacement composite strips or composite strips with particular lagging frictional surfaces are sold in replacement packs or replacement kits. The basic kit may also be provided with a role of loop section strip and a role of composite strip. The cutline may be measured at the site of the use or just prior to use. The kit may also include a template facilitating the cutting of the cutline. The template may include an angled section for making the cut and may also include two angle sections with a premeasured length for forming each cutline of each cut strip for a given pulley size. Several templates may be provided, each for a different pulley size. A group of templates can be provided in the basic kit or a variety of templates can be sold in template package. As an alternative, instead of the use of templates for measuring and facilitating the cutting of the cutlines, each role of strip may have one or more rows of perforations to facilitate the cutting of the cutline for a particular pulley size. With the use of templates, a single kit may be used to set up several different pulleys or may be used to cut replacement composite strips for various different pulleys as the necessary strip lengths and cutlines may be adapted to any pulley dimension.
The invention provides significant advantages including a structurally stable pulley lagging/pulley connection and the ability to replace worn lagging elements quickly or quickly change pulley lagging for particular applications. The aspect of the invention including a pulley having a particular strip section applied to the surface thereof with a hook or loop fastener portion at the outer side of the strip (e.g. a loop section) provides an excellent basic unit which may be used over and over again with various different lagging elements. This pulley in combination with a lagging element formed of the composite strip is a structural combination which has significant advantages. A process based on this combination and system based on this combination significantly improve maintenance and use of pulley systems.
According to another feature of the invention, a pulley system is provided in which the belt has an outer conveying surface which includes a hook and loop fastener section (one of a hook section for a loop section). This Velcro type outer conveying surface is used advantageously with cooperating hook and loop fastener sections applied to items which are being conveyed. This belt system provides significant advantages as to positioning of items on the belt conveyer for further manufacturing steps or other steps, such as identification (e.g. bar code scanning, transponder detection etc.).
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.